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Home Made Kazoku Interview

"We went through a time before we debuted where we didn't have money or fans. We feel very grateful that we were able to debut at all. We wanted to write a song that would thank all sorts of people to whom we owed our careers." - MICRO

That song, Thank You!!, by the group Home Made Kazoku (Home Made Family) would go on to be used in the anime series "Bleach". A second of their songs, Shooting Star, also made an appearance on the popular show and helped to bring the group some just deserves. Composed of singers MICRO and KURO and the talents of DJ U-ICHI, this threesome released their fifth album, "Circle", earlier this year.

While we think the word "fun" goes a long way in describing the group's varied style, they describe their craft as "Our music is based on hip hop, but we mix up all kinds of music and try to make our own Home Made Kazoku sound."

On August 2, 2010, the members of Home Made Kazoku were kind enough to give an interview to Andrew
from J-Pop World. All photos courtesy of Home Made Kazoku and Sony Music.

You made your US debut at Otakon on July 30. Can you tell us what you were looking forward to most?

MICRO: I hope that we'd have a great live performance, and that the U.S. audience, who are not so familiar with us, will have a great time.

MICRO and KURO, you are no strangers to the US. Can you tell us about the time you've spent living here?

KURO: I think this country used to be more dirty and dusty (laughs).

MICRO: I got into music after I moved to the U.S. and this county taught me a lot of things that I haven't experienced before. And I hope to get that inspiration here again, but at the same time, I hope to give something back to the U.S. as a Japanese musician this time.

For fans new to your band, how would you describe your musical style?

KURO: It's hard to describe. Our music is based on hip hop, but we mix up all kinds of music and try to make our own Home Made Kazoku sound.

What other plans do you have while you are here?

MICRO: We are going to NYC afterward for a mastering session for our upcoming new single.

Once Otakon is over, what do you hope to have accomplished?

MICRO: We hope to get much inspiration here, and bring that back to Japan for our upcoming recordings and performances.

In June the band digitally released four of your anime theme songs in the singles collection "Home Made Kazoku @ the Animes". How much easier will this allow your overseas fans to purchase your music?

KURO: We think it's great, and we feel very fortunate having our music released in the US.

One of the songs included is your famous "Bleach" theme Thank You!! Can you tell us some of your memories about writing and recording this song?

MICRO: We went through a time before we debuted where we didn't have money or fans. We feel very grateful that we were able to debut at all. We wanted to write a song that would thank all sorts of people to whom we owed our careers. U-ICHI's track was great, so we went ahead and made a song that was very direct and sincere about our feelings of gratitude toward the people that supported us.

Shooting Star, also available in the collection, was used as an ending theme for "Naruto". Was the song specifically written for the show, or was it picked later?

KURO: We wrote it before we had the offer.

You released your fifth album, "Circle", earlier this year in Japan. Will the album be getting a North American release date?

We hope so!

How would you compare the album's music to your earlier work?

KURO: Our message hasn't really changed, but our approach did. We are singing towards a wider audience now. Before, we were sort of like in a village, but now our world has grown bigger.

We loved the video for your song L.O.V.E. How much fun did you have making the video?

MICRO: Basically we wanted to keep the video light and silly. We usually made videos that are heartwarming with strong morals. But we noticed that those sorts of songs have become very popular in Japan, so we wanted to counter that trend with our video. In that light, we made a humorous, video that was unlike anything we have done before.

Let's get to know everyone a little more. DJ U-Ichi, can you tell us about your
hometown and what it was like growing up there?

U-ICHI: I'm from Okayama Prefecture. It's in the country side, a very peaceful place. So naturally, I played a lot of soccer.

How did everyone first get into music?

KURO: I heard Rhymester for the first time when I was in high school and that blew my mind. Then I started to write my own lyrics too. Until then, I used to dance.

MICRO: I started out dancing when I first came to the US, then I started to shift towards music.

U-ICHI: From the film "Juice" when I was in middle school.

At what point did you each decide to make music your career?

KURO: Just when we were getting ready to graduate from college, and we were all looking toward our career paths. One day we all got together at a restaurant and decided that we wouldn't try to find a normal job. We promised each other that we wouldn't do that. This happened during our senior year in college.

If you didn't become musicians, what do you think each of you would be doing now instead?

MICRO: A salesman. Sometimes I still feel like I would want to be one.

KURO: A school teacher. A passionate teacher. I love to teach.

U-ICHI: An architect.

Who have been your greatest musical inspirations?

KURO: Michael Jackson.

MICRO: Lenny Kravitz.

U-ICHI: Jay-Z.

Can you tell us the story of how the band formed?

KURO: In the beginning there were more members in the band, because we did it for fun. But after a while, only the ones who were serious about pursuing music remained. That was me, MICRO, and one other friend. At first, we didn't have a DJ, instead we brought records to our gigs and had the club play them in the background.

One day U-ICHI came up to us and invited us to perform at an event of his. In retrospect, it was pretty uncharacteristic of U-ICHI to come up to us like that. That's when we asked him to be our DJ. It must have been around 1998. We were all around the same age, and U-ICHI, who lived alone, had a massive record collection. We would go through those records, and find ones that we wanted to use at our live shows, and overtime, we came to be invited to perform at more and more events.

How important do you think the anime tie-ins have been to your career so far?

MICRO: I think it's really important. It's really difficult to make a US debut for Japanese artists. It's an English-speaking world, and it's difficult for us to be invited to perform in America simply because it's cool to be Japanese. But the Anime and Game world is very Japan-centered, so through that niche, Americans can find out about us. It was so fun to perform in front of people who we probably never would have otherwise. It was really a once in a lifetime opportunity. I feel like I am just beginning to understand the amazing impact that Anime has had on the world.

Do you have any new projects you can give us a sneak peak at?

In October, we are going to host a festival in our hometown in Aichi Prefecture. It's an outdoor event called "Kazoku Fes."

Outside of music what do you all do for fun and relaxation?

KURO: Really, I'm a pretty boring person outside of music (laughs). I like to read, watch movies and jog among other things.

U-ICHI: Soccer.

MICRO: Clubs and parties, I like to drink (laughs).

Do you have anything else you want to bring up or comment on?

Please check out our music on iTunes, and follow us on Twitter!

Do you have a final message to all your fans?

We want this to be the first of many performances in the US. Even if the reason people know us is through Anime, music has no borders, so we would love for fans to continue supporting us. Someday, we would love to perform on our own in the States, and would love to see fans turn out for that.

For more info checkout Home Made Kazoku's official site.
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